Bellum Catilinae 18

Cat. 18.1Sed anteā item coniūrāvēre paucī contrā rem pūblicam, in quibus Catilīna fuit.

But before this, too, a few men had conspired against the Republic, and Catiline was among them.

Note. The 'first conspiracy' of 66-65 BC. Modern historians doubt much of the story Sallust tells here, which grew in the telling after 63.

Cat. 18.2Dē quā quam vērissumē poterō dīcam.

About this I shall speak as truthfully as I can.

Cat. 18.2L. Tullō et M'. Lepidō cōnsulibus P. Autrōnius et P. Sulla dēsignātī cōnsulēs lēgibus ambitūs interrogātī poenās dederant.

In the consulship of Lucius Tullus and Manius Lepidus, Publius Autronius and Publius Sulla, the consuls elect, had been prosecuted under the bribery laws and had paid the penalty.

Note. L. Tullō et M'. Lepidō cōnsulibus: 66 BC. P. Autronius and P. Sulla were elected consuls for 65 but were convicted of bribery (ambitus) and lost their places.

Cat. 18.3Post paulō Catilīna pecūniārum repetundārum reus prohibitus erat cōnsulātum petere, quod intrā lēgitumōs diēs profitērī nequīverat.

A little later Catiline, on trial for extortion, had been prevented from standing for the consulship, because he had been unable to declare himself within the legal number of days.

Note. pecūniārum repetundārum reus: 'on trial for extortion' (literally 'for money to be recovered'), after Catiline's governorship of Africa. profitērī: to declare one's candidacy to the presiding magistrate.

Cat. 18.4Erat eōdem tempore Cn. Pīsō, adulēscēns nōbilis, summae audāciae, egēns, factiōsus, quem ad perturbandam rem pūblicam inopia atque malī mōrēs stimulābant.

There was at the same time Gnaeus Piso, a young nobleman of the utmost daring, penniless, a schemer, whom poverty and bad character drove to throw the Republic into confusion.

Cat. 18.5Cum hōc Catilīna et Autrōnius circiter Nōnās Decembrīs cōnsiliō commūnicātō parābant in Capitōliō Kalendīs Iānuāriīs L. Cottam et L. Torquātum cōnsulēs interficere, ipsī fascibus correptīs Pīsōnem cum exercitū ad optinendās duās Hispāniās mittere.

With him Catiline and Autronius shared their plan about the fifth of December and were preparing to kill the consuls Lucius Cotta and Lucius Torquatus on the Capitol on the first of January, and, having seized the rods of office themselves, to send Piso with an army to take possession of the two Spains.

Note. Nōnās Decembrīs: 5 December. Kalendīs Iānuāriīs: 1 January 65 BC, when the new consuls took office. fascibus correptīs: ablative absolute; the fascēs, bundles of rods, were the consuls' symbol of power. duās Hispāniās: the two Spanish provinces, Nearer and Further.

Cat. 18.6Eā rē cognitā rūrsus in Nōnās Februāriās cōnsilium caedis trānstulerant.

When this became known, they postponed the plan for murder again to the fifth of February.

Cat. 18.7Iam tum nōn cōnsulibus modo, sed plērīsque senātōribus perniciem māchinābantur.

Already then they were plotting destruction not only for the consuls but for most of the senators.

Cat. 18.8Quod nī Catilīna mātūrāsset prō cūriā signum sociīs dare, eō diē post conditam urbem Rōmam pessumum facinus patrātum foret.

And if Catiline had not been too quick to give the signal to his allies in front of the senate house, on that day the worst crime since the founding of the city of Rome would have been carried out.

Note. Quod nī: 'but if … not'. mātūrāsset = mātūrāvisset. patrātum foret: = patrātum esset, pluperfect subjunctive in a past unreal condition.

Cat. 18.8Quia nōndum frequentēs armātī convēnerant, ea rēs cōnsilium dirēmit.

Because the armed men had not yet gathered in numbers, that put an end to the plan.